Background Information

“Mofo” was released simultaneously with the “If God Will Send His Angels” single, with similar artwork, making it something of a “part 2” of that release. As the sixth track released from Pop, it gives that album the distinction, at least as of this writing, of being the U2 album to spawn the most singles. The song “Mofo” first took shape with the working title “MFRR.” The single was released commercially on December 9 in the UK and Europe, and the following day in Canada. Unlike the previous Pop singles, no commercial CD was released in the US for “Mofo.” However, it was issued on 12-inch vinyl there on December 17, 1997. This would be the start of a drought of U2 CD singles in the USA, as another CD single would not be released commercially in that territory until 2009’s “Magnificent.”

CD formats of the single, issued under the title “Mofo Remixes,” contained three tracks: two remixes of “Mofo” (“Phunk Phorce Mix” and “Mother’s Mix”) and one remix of “If God Will Send His Angels (“The Grand Jury Mix”). Vinyl and promo releases added additional mixes. These were done by world-famous DJs such as Matthew Roberts, Roni Size, and Leo Pearson and Johnny Moy. The remix of “If God Will Send His Angels” has also been released as the “Big Yam Mix” (for example, on the 2-CD version of The Best of 1990-2000), but in fact the “Grand Jury” and “Big Yam” mixes are the same version. Both names are derived from the remixing credit for the track, which reads: “Remix and additional production by Gerald Baillergeau AKA Big Yam and Victor Merritt AKA Vino for Grand Jury Productions.”

A video for “Mofo” was released, featuring a collage of live footage from The PopMart Tour. The music track is actually an edit of the “Phunk Phorce Mix.” The clip, directed by Maurice Linnane, was released in January 1998 to co-incide with the release of the “Mofo” single, as well as the launch of The PopMart Tour in Australia. Footage includes a very pregnant Morleigh Steinberg belly dancing in Oslo for Edge’s birthday, along with numerous other live tour clips. The video was included as a bonus track on The Best of 1990-2000DVD compilation.

“Mofo” was a staple of The PopMart Tour, opening the show every night. It was also performed on the “MTV Europe Music Awards” in 1997. Lyrical snippets of “Mofo” were mixed in with other songs during the U2360° Tour, but never a full performance. A live performance of “Mofo” can be found on the Hasta La Vista Baby! fan club release, taken from the December 3, 1997 PopMart show in Mexico City. “Mofo (Mother’s Mix)” can be found on the Mexico-only promo The Rest of the Remixes. The “Grand Jury”/“Big Yam” mix of “If God Will Send His Angels” was included, as mentioned previously, on the remixes and b-sides disc accompanying The Best of 1990-2000 compilation, and also on the Artificial Horizon album.